Tiropita—“tiro” means “cheese” and “pita” means “pie”—is a savory cheese pie made with layers of butter-brushed phyllo dough and a soft, flavorful cheese filling. The soul of tiropita is the filling made with traditional sheep’s-milk feta—shredded for a smoother texture. For our recipe eggs, nontraditional cottage cheese, and cornstarch are mixed in for a creamier filling that doesn’t curdle when baked. Nutty graviera is stirred in for added depth.
Cooking Tips
Crispy, Flaky Hand Pies Stuffed with Bright Greek Cheese—This Is Tiropitakia
You’ll want to serve these crispy, cheesy triangles at all your parties!
By Published Sept. 15, 2022
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10 ingredients. 45 minutes. Quick, easy, and fresh weeknight recipes.
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Tiropita has several distinct shapes with a similar filling depending on the region of Greece they come from: large round or square pies; spirals; cigar shapes; and, my personal favorite, the turnover-size triangles known as tiropitakia. Their delicately folded layers showcase less filling to phyllo, with three delightfully buttery crisp corners. Serve these handheld tiropitakias at your next dinner party as an appetizer or as a light lunch with a salad. Feel free to bake off half a batch and freeze the rest for a later time or double the batch and always have some on hand to treat your unexpected guests.
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The key to keeping the filling inside the triangles is to fold them into equilateral triangles, which adds structure to the sides and corners of the triangle so that the filling doesn’t blow out. Here’s how to form tiropitakia.
1. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on clean counter, with short side parallel to edge of counter, and brush lightly with melted butter.
2. Place second phyllo sheet directly over first sheet and brush lightly with melted butter.
3. Cut sheets lengthwise into thirds to make 3 long strips, each about 2¾ inches wide.
4. Place heaping tablespoon of filling on bottom center of each strip.
5. Working with 1 strip at a time, fold up left corner of phyllo strip to center of strip, right above filling.
6. Fold in right corner to left edge to create triangle at bottom of strip.
7. Fold triangle over itself, then continue folding up and over (as if folding a flag) to end of strip.
8. Gently press filling to distribute evenly (it will not go all the way to corners; this is OK).
9. Repeat with remaining phyllo and filling to make 24 triangles.
10. Place triangles seam side down on parchment paper–lined baking sheets and brush with melted butter.
Tiropitakia (Cheese Triangles)
Flaky, buttery handheld Greek cheese pies for a special occasion.Get the Recipe